Authorities: Dorner likely killed himself with gunshot to the head

In this aerial photo, law enforcement authorities investigate the burn-out cabin Wednesday, Fen. 13, 2013 in the Angeles Oaks area of Big Bear, Calif. JOHN VALENZUELA, AP

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In this aerial photo, law enforcement authorities investigate the charred remnants of a cabin Wednesday, Feb. 13, 2013 in the Angeles Oaks area of Big Bear, Calif. JOHN VALENZUELA, AP

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In this aerial photo, law enforcement authorities investigate the burnt-out cabin Wednesday, Feb.13, 2013, where accused quadruple-murder suspect Christopher Dorner was believed to have died after barricading himself inside, during a Tuesday stand-off with police in the Angeles Oaks area of Big Bear, Calif. JOHN VALENZUELA, AP

This image provided by the Irvine Police Department shows Christopher Dorner from Jan. 28, 2013 surveillance video at an Orange County, Calif., hotel. More than 100 officers, including SWAT teams, were driven in glass-enclosed snow machines and armored personnel carriers in Big Bear Lake to hunt for this former Los Angeles police officer suspected of going on a deadly rampage to get back at those he blamed for ending his police career. AP

SAN BERNARDINO – Authorities announced Friday that fired Los Angeles police officer Christopher Jordan Dorner died of a gunshot wound to the head, as sheriff's officials defended their decision to fire incendiary tear-gas canisters into a cabin the fugitive was holed up in, igniting a blaze that burned it to the ground.

A day after confirming that the body of the former officer and Navy reservist suspected of killing an Irvine couple and two law enforcement officials had been found in the burned out remains of the cabin where he held his final showdown with police, San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department officials acknowledged that the fugitive had eluded a six-day manhunt by hiding in another cabin.

A six-hour autopsy conducted by the Riverside County coroner's office determined that Dorner died of a gunshot wound, not from the fire that consumed the cabin.

"The information we have right now seems to indicate that the wound that took Christopher Dorner's life was self-inflicted," Riverside coroner's Capt. Kevin Lacy said.

Authorities cautioned, however, that a final determination on whether Dorner took his own life has not been made. His body was found in a basement area of the remote cabin.

In a news conference Friday afternoon, officials also disclosed that numerous assault weapons and semiautomatic handguns were retrieved from areas connected with Dorner, including a sniper rifle that officials described as a "dangerous and high-powered weapon."

Also recovered were several canisters of gas and smoke, silencers, a "tactical-style" vest and a military-style kevlar helmet.

Amid reporter's questions, San Bernardino County Sheriff John McMahon spoke adamantly in support of how officers handled the search effort and defended the decision to launch the canisters.

"Bottom line is, this department did an outstanding job," McMahon said.

Capt. Gregg Herbert said numerous audio announcements were made in attempt to get Dorner to surrender before authorities deployed the pyrotechnic canisters.

"This was our only option," Herbert said.

Sheriff's officials pushed back against allegations that the department did not thoroughly check the condominium in which Dorner was hiding, which was within viewing distance of a command post set up in the search for him. McMahon said the door was locked during the search last Thursday.

"My instructions were that we were not going to kick doors open to unoccupied residences or ones that nobody answered," McMahon said.

Dorner's death brought to a close an unprecedented manhunt that stretched across Southern California and into Nevada and Mexico. Dorner was believed to be targeting his former LAPD colleagues and their families, claiming in a sprawling online manifesto that they had forced his firing from a department he considered racist and corrupt.

Irvine police Feb. 6 identified Dorner as the prime suspect in the shooting deaths of Monica Quan, an assistant basketball coach at Cal State Fullerton the daughter of a former LAPD captain who had represented Dorner in the board of review hearings that led to his firing, and her fiance, Keith Lawrence, at their Irvine condominium.

Hours after he was identified as a suspect, Dorner is believed to have ambushed two Riverside police officers, killing Officer Michael Crain and injuring his partner, who was identified Thursday as Officer Andrew Tachias.

The search in the Big Bear Lake area began Feb. 7, after Dorner's burnt pickup was found abandoned on the mountain.

Authorities say Dorner came out of hiding Tuesday afternoon, when the owners of the vacation home he was hiding in walked in on him. Dorner tied up the couple, stole their car, then carjacked another vehicle after he was seen by police.

During the showdown that ultimately claimed his life, authorities say Dorner shot San Bernardino County sheriff's detective Jeremiah MacKay and deputy Alex Collins. MacKay died from his injuries, while Collins is expected to recover.

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